Page 80 - Swatantrata to Atmanirbharta : Lokmanya Tilak’s legacy

1. Has the Government Lost its Head ?

2. The First Chimney at Pune
3. Mystery of The Bomb
4. Gold and Silver Coinage

5. Agriculture is the Base of Our Economy

6. India’s Poverty
Other Mass Media

Speeches
News paper readers in the 19th and the early 20th centuries
were limited. Public speeches then, was a powerful medium.
Along with the content the speaker required a powerful voice as
there were no loudspeakers. Tilak adapted language that suited
a particular audience and quoted examples that they could
relate to. To explain freedom, he said “Just as we have a right
to choose what to cook at our homes, we must have the right
to decide what we do in our country” Vasant Vyakhyan Mala,
a forum for exchanging public speaking, named by Tilak and
started by Justice Ranade continues to exist till date.

Contribution of words
Tilak was a wordsmith. He created new words related to
economics and politics. Some words we use today in Marathi
like nokarshahi, andazpatra(budget), ganawesh(uniform),
mudrit(proof), kachheri(office), Visharad(graduate) and many
more to the tune of around 3000 were created by Tilak.
National Kirtans
Maharashtra is known for traditional devotional medium
of addressing gatherings called ‘Kirtans’. Back then it was an
effective medium and held together faith and social connect.
Kirtan styles changed with time. The older Kirtan tradition
revolved around Vedic teachings, devotion and devotees.
Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak realised how impactful the
medium of kirtans would be to propagate the idea of freedom.
The society had forgotten its identity under the British rule. It
was necessary to remind them of the glorious past and brilliant

Swatantrata to Atmanirbharata 78